11-year-old John Bouzy delivers his speech during a kick-off dinner in Scotia for the annual Saratoga Tour de Cure event for diabetes. Bouzy’s mother, Jennifer Musial, looks on as her son gives his speech.
PHOTOS PROVIDED.

EAST SCHODACK, N.Y. >> For more than 20 years the American Diabetes Association’s annual Saratoga Tour de Cure cycling event has helped families to raise awareness and funds to help find a cure for people living with diabetes.

After staging the event for more than 20 years at Saratoga Springs High School, the local chapter of the ADA has relocated its largest annual fundraiser to Saratoga Spa State Park’s Peerless Pool, which can be accessed off both Route 9 and Route 50. The 2016 Saratoga Tour de Cure drew 1,967 cyclists from around the region who raised $922,000, making it the Capital Region’s largest fundraising event.

This year the event is scheduled for Sunday, June 4 and the goal for this year’s event is $1.1 million. All proceeds support the association’s mission — to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

The event has extra significance for people like 11-year-old John Bouzy of East Schodack, who has been living with Type 1 diabetes since he was four years old. Bouzy recently attended the kick-off Tour de Cure dinner event in Scotia and spoke about his personal experience related to how he felt when he was first diagnosed.

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“When I was 4 years old I was diagnosed with diabetes,” said Bouzy during his speech at the kick-off event last week. “It was two weeks before Christmas. The first week diagnosed was hard, I would hide from my mom when she would want to give me my injection and ask her why she would want to hurt me. She would cry. She told me the doctor told her one day this will be my new normal and hers. We fight this disease together.”

Although Bouzy has been living with diabetes for more than 5 years, his mother, Jennifer Musial, said that this year will be their third year participating in the Tour de Cure event and that it is an important event for people to know more about.

“It brings everybody together to acknowledge diabetes,” said Musial. “It’s that time of the year where we can get together to actually bring focus to it and let everybody know that we need to bring attention to this and raise money to help fund a cure for it.”

Musial said that diabetes is something that affects her son’s life day-to-day and that each day is a different day for her son living with Type 1 diabetes.

“It can be hard some days because if he’s sick his sugars are higher and he then might not be able to have that piece of cake like the rest of his class,” explained Musial. “There are some days that he just can’t be like everybody else but there are days that he can be”

Members of the American Diabetes Association also agree that this event is important to continue to host because it helps bring more attention and funds to hopefully help find a cure soon. American Diabetes Association Market Executive Director Nicole DeCelle also announced that the event will be a different type of experience than past years.

“The Tour de Cure isn’t just a bike ride, but rather a celebration of hope and a chance to raise critical funds to help Stop Diabetes. This year’s event will become more of a festival-type experience,” said DeCelle, noting that large tents will be located at the finish line under which participants can relax, eat lunch and enjoy a cold beer and shelter from any inclement weather.

Other changes on tap include a streamlined participant check-in; a new, scenic 100-mile route that circles the Great Sacandaga Lake; WaterMonster hydration stations placed strategically around each route to provide participants with ample liquid refreshment and a green solution to reduce trash; large screen TVs broadcasting riders as they cross the finish line; and, a live performance by Body & Soul.

“We also plan to introduce chipped cycling bibs,” added DeCelle. “This will not only allow us to instantly know who is still out on the course and their precise GPS location, but also give our PA announcer a chance to recognize finishers once they arrive back in the park.”

The annual ride is part of a nationwide movement to Stop Diabetes and change the future of the nearly 30 million Americans living with the disease — 1.6 million of whom reside in New York state. Designed for everyone from the novice biker to the experienced cyclist, the Tour de Cure includes 10-, 28-, 50-, 62.5- and 100-mile routes.

Musial said that her son enjoys being old enough to go out and participate in fundraiser events leading up to the big Tour de Cure event.

“He is old enough now to participate and he’s old enough to ride the 10- mile,” said Musial. “He’s also old enough to go out and fundraise, we will go out and go to businesses and ask if they would like to contribute or sponsor us.”

If you would like to contribute to John Bouzy’s fundraising efforts, you can donate online here.